Yellow Gazebo

For Richard Lobbenberg — the clinical director and founder of the holistic health centre Yellow Gazebo — a medical vocation has always been a family affair. His father, mother and brother each held careers or stints as nurses, and Richard originally planned to attend medical school himself before he was swayed by acupuncture and Chinese medicine’s creative and improvisational approach to healing.

Holistic health was another draw. “With Chinese medicine, you can treat the whole person,” he says. “It’s a dynamic approach as opposed to a linear approach. Rather than using ‘a’ to treat ‘b,’ you’re actually treating ‘b’ by treating the rest of the alphabet.” At Yellow Gazebo, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to common ailments.

According to Richard, the clinic is built upon four main pillars of natural health: natural medicine, such as acupuncture, naturopathy and Chinese medicine; body work therapy, which includes massage and chiropractic; counselling services to promote mental health and well-being; and exercise instruction. While would-be yogis now flock to crowded studios across the city, Richard promotes one-on-one private yoga from a qualified instructor to guide enthusiasts through the poses.